Again and again from rather unexpected quarters, in quite remote country places, and among people in whom you would not expect to find it, I have found an interest in broad issues of foreign affairs, such as the Darlan incident, and I believe that This Greek Crisis is another occasion on which large sections of the people are profoundly anxious and deeply stirred.

I was going to say a few words about Greece, but I do not think I have time - [Interruption] - If I am challenged, then, I think that I can say at least that I thought that the PrimeMinister's pointed reference to His Majesty's Coalition Government was even more apt than he perhaps realised, since it is evident to those who have followed the course of events in Greece that it was the influence of the Labour Party within that Government and the Left Wing critics in this House and elsewhere that very largely contributed to the happy settlement of the Greek Crisis.

I believe that the House is entitled to consider - and I beg my hon. Friends behind me to consider this - with what loyalty Marshal Stalin behaved to the Prime Minister in the Greek Crisis.

It is usually the leader of the largest party who is asked to form a Government, yet the Populist Party have consistently refused to enter into any Government under a Liberal Prime Minister and thus have precipitated the Present Greek Crisis.

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the next steps that he will propose to the European Union for a resolution of the Crisis in Greek-Macedonian relationships.

During the election we saw the Greek Crisis being enacted at the same time as we were talking to electors, making it clear how dangerous the situation was.

The incompetent handling of the Greek Crisis stands in stark contrast to the rapid and effective measures taken by the United States Government in the Mexican crisis of December 1994, which was very similar.

They were created at the height of the Greek Crisis, in exceptionally turbulent conditions, before the Government took office.

Now the Chancellor says that the economy is “choppy”, but that “Changing course would be a disaster for our credibility” and would lead to a Greek Crisis here in Britain - a Greek crisis that the Chancellor now absurdly claims he has narrowly avoided in the past.

After the European Union Council and the noble Lord's Statement, it remains unclear what that Council and the UK Government regard as the long-term sustainable solution to the Greek Crisis.

After this European Council and after the Prime Minister's statement, it remains unclear what the Council and the Prime Minister regard as a long-term and sustainable solution to the Greek Crisis.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the worst outcome for the British economy from the Greek Crisis would be a disorderly and chaotic default by Greece and subsequent departure from the euro?

Moreover, the Greek Crisis broke in the weekend after Labour had lost the election, but before the coalition was formed.

Do the Government think that the Greek Crisis will just go away?

The eurozone needs: greater growth and competitiveness, born of supply-side reform and the deepening of the single market of 27; the correction of current account imbalances; the further strengthening of the banking system; the resolution of the Greek Crisis one way or the other; and more fire-power for the EFSF and the ESM to fight the contagion risk, though I would rate that risk much lower than do the noble Lords, Lord Hamilton and Lord Flight.

However, it is clear-particularly so because of the Current Greek Crisis-that this has not been enough.

When he talks to the Greek Prime Minister, will he ask him to scale down defence spending and get the oligarchs and the Orthodox Church to pay a little bit to solve the Greek Crisis?

We have been irrelevant on the Greek Crisis, a fringe player on climate change and a mere spectator in the debate that could have shaped a European growth policy.

I therefore believe that, as we clearly have an interest in it, we should take a leading role as far as the Greek Crisis is concerned.

As he mentioned, the Greek Crisis has gone on for some five years now.

Reference has rightly been made to the Greek Crisis, which is indeed reaching a climax.

This Greek Crisis has been with us in one form or another for five years.

Britain's attitude to the developing Greek Crisis is clear: we hope for the best, but we prepare for the worst.

I was making the observation that the UK is far better prepared than it was five years ago, when we had a budget deficit of over 10% and an undercapitalised banking system - something I was well aware of, because the Greek Crisis had its first big flare-up a few days before I became Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The Chancellor has already assured the House that, thanks to the Government's actions, UK banks are strong enough to withstand Any Greek Crisis.

Britain will be affected the longer the Greek Crisis lasts, and the worse it gets.

Is the Minister not also aware that there will be no solution to the Greek Crisis without Greece leaving the eurozone altogether?

The situation risks going from bad to worse, and Britain will be affected the longer the Greek Crisis lasts and the worse it gets.

My hon. Friend is right to draw the House's attention to some of the economic issues in China, but if we can stay in the western hemisphere for the purposes of this statement, the eurozone is a much better place than it was in 2012 to deal with any contagion from the Greek Crisis.

Some 50% of our exports go to the European Union, even if only a very small proportion of that goes to Greece, and we are a very large financial centre, so there would be an impact on our economy if the Greek Crisis continued to deteriorate.

We want to see a resolution of This Greek Crisis.

If the Greek Crisis goes to its worst position, we are conscious of the fact that there will be an impact on the British economy.

Does not the Greek Crisis show that, when negotiating with the EU, it is very important to be clear about what one wants and not to accept its first or second offer because it will improve it under pressure?

The Us economy has slowed, so too has China, and even before the Greek Crisis intensified this week, the forecasts for global growth had been revised down this year to 3.

Having told us that growth was strong, the Chancellor attempted to make a subliminal and conflated link with the Greek Crisis, and the possible implications if we do not allow him to get on and finish the job he started.

I admire the honesty of the five presidents coming out with all this now, despite the Greek Crisis and the knowledge that the UK wishes to negotiate a new relationship.

Other matters to be looked at include the purposes that lie behind what Wolfgang Schäuble has been edging and pushing, nudging and driving, during the Greek Crisis.

It was significant in the Greek Crisis that increasingly, the continental European papers were saying, particularly in France, “Where is Cameron?